Keeping Track of Where Cultures Collide, Co-Mingle and Cozy-Up From My Little Slice of the World

Monday, January 30, 2012

Three Burning Questions About Red Tails...And Yes I Loved the Movie

Hi Meltingpot Readers,

So, I took my kids to see Red Tails this weekend and I'm glad I did. I thought the movie was a wonderful vehicle to introduce young and old to the heroics of the Tuskegee Airmen. Yes, it was a little cheesy and some of the lines were corny but it was a war film. I expected nothing less. I cheered and cried at all the right places. Most importantly though, I loved seeing a movie with a bunch of Black men being heroes. All of them. Heroes in uniform, fighting for their country. That I could take my sons to see that on the big screen was priceless.

So, please, go see the film. Support George Lucas's passion project. Show Hollywood that a film that features an all-Black cast (that isn't made by Tyler Perry) can make money.

Now, here are some random facts about me and the Red Tails experience that perhaps will entice you to see the film if the whole George Lucas using his own money thing isn't grabbing you.

1. Did you know that Red Tails producer, Geroge Lucas is married to a Black woman, the beautiful and whip-smart economist Mellody Hobson? I kinda forgot about that until el esposo reminded me. And even though this movie has been in the works longer than their relationship, I'm wondering if being attached to Ms. Hobson, in any way influenced his desire/passion to get this done? What do you think? It couldn't hurt right?

2. For those of you who have seen the film and noticed the off-handed insult about my hometown of Milwaukee, did you think that was random? Probably not as I just found out that the co-writer of Red Tails, John Ridley, is from Milwaukee and apparently we didn't live very far apart. Small world, right?

3. Are you surprised that the Saturday afternoon showing of Red Tails that I took my kids to see was packed? There wasn't an empty seat in the house. Are you surprised that everyone single seat was filled by Black people, save four older White people who I know from the Unitarian Church by my house? Love those Unitarians! Do you think a movie about the Tuskegee Airmen isn't relevant to White audiences?

4 comments:

Anonymous
said...

First of all- love the post. I, too, am so excited about this movie. I'll be attending it with a real life tuskegee airman as my date (I asked him, sadie hawkins style). Can you believe it? We are both super jazzed. Haven't seen it yet though, so there is my disclaimer.

1) Details, schmetails, but Ms Hobson is Mr Lucas's domestic partner- they aren't married. To me this says nothing about their bond other than they don't need a piece of paper to force them to wake up together every morning, but I just thought I'd throw that in there. And I also think that it's awesome when you and your partner have a shared interest but yes, this was Mr Lucas's project before Ms Hobson came into the picture...but I know that when my partner and I are both really excited about something, the work goes that much quicker. So it couldn't have hurt. But maybe she's not even that into movies?

2 I'll skip as I've not yet been to the film but

3) No, I'm not surprised that the audience was predominantly black but I know that around here at least, people of all races have been going to see it (still majority black). And any film about our country's history is relevant to anyone who lives in this country. PS, I'm white as crisco.

Can I ask a question too? Were you surprised at how little publicity there was surrounding the film? I had read up on the film and was actively looking for previews, commercials, etc, but there were far fewer than I expected given the deep pockets of the filmmakers...

Thanks for a great blog. I've been reading for a while and just haven't ever commented.

1). When I saw a picture of George Lucas and Mellody Hobson on the new CBS morning show in which Gayle King/Charlie Rose were interviewing Lucas, I did wonder whether Hobson was the muse behing 'Red Tails'. Thanks Meg for the correction.

2). I have not seen 'Red Tails' yet. However, I recently saw 'Glory' (1989), another film with a similar theme. It is about the first formal US Army unit made up entirely of Black American men during the Civil War. I loved it!

The first thing that comes to my mind when Milwaukee is mentioned is Jeffrey Dahmer (The Milwaukee Monster). Sorry!

3). My cousin took his boys to see 'Red Tails' last week. They really enjoyed it. He posted on his Facebook that the predominantly white audience at the movie theater stood up and clapped at the end.